Saturday, May 31, 2008

Decatur, GA. is the possessor of this 500,000 gal Horton radial cone bottom tank. It's colonial design and graceful, well balanced proportion prove that beauty need not be sacrificed to achive utilty, thus Decatur has at once the many advantages of elevated storage within a stately structure that proudly graves the landscape of this historic southern city.

STEVEATL said: Is this the tank near the East Lake MARTA station? Yes it is.

Decatur Federal Savings & Loan Assoc.opened in downtown Decatur in 1962. I went to the Grand Opening to visit the new building and they gave me a Decatur Federal Savings key-chain,and I still have it.The bank has changed names a couple of times since 1962 now it is Wachovia Bank. Soon to be Wells Fargo.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Here is story below not related to Decatur but it's the kind of story I like.A man tried his best not to sue Delta but when he just wanted reimbursement for all his trouble, they said no.I hope they award him 2 million.

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by Jeffrey White

From the New York Post, comes a report that a Manhatten man is suing Delta Airlines for $1 million for...ruining his mother's 80th birthday.

Richard Roth's suit claims that a Delta worker caused him and his immediate family to miss a flight to Buenos Aires, leaving them stranded in Atlanta and forcing the family -- Roth's wife, two children and 80-year-old mother -- to drive to Miami to pick up another flight, the Post says. Then Roth alleges Delta lost the group's baggage.

The story, reported here in full in the Post, sounds like a real nightmare. Roth had arranged to fly a good portion of his family, including some cousins, to BA this past December. After arriving for their connecting flight in Atlanta, Roth says his party was barred from boarding the flight as the gate had just closed. Scrambling, Roth found another flight on an Argentine airline, leaving out of Miami, but Delta did not deliver the party's bags until after Christmas.

Roth sought $21,000 in reimbursement from Delta, which, perhaps not surprisingly, refused to pay. "I tried so hard not to sue," Roth told the newspaper.

No word yet on how $21,000 turned into $1 million, though Roth -- an attorney -- is claiming, among other things, that Delta caused his mother emotional distress.

Summer officially begins June 21, but warm weather is already here. And when the heat is on, there's nothing better than kicking back with a refreshing cocktail, like a margarita or a mojito, or a tall wheat beer or a glass of sparkling wine. Here are five places to drink up and cool down, while enjoying a bit of atmosphere.

DECATURCantina El Tesoro

The more ambitious, grown-up cousin to Cantina la Casita in East Atlanta, el Tesoro has the pleasantly disconnected feel of a Southern frat house morphed into a Mexican hacienda. The comfortable bar is home to some 100 tequilas and a better-than-average beer list. Bartender Rafael Barragan mixes a straight-up take on the limey house margarita, or try the ginger-lime margarita with housemade ginger syrup. The menu is as eclectic as the setting, but at the heart is a collection of tasty tacos.

Sexy Brazilian style and healthy small plates using local and organic ingredients combine cool and what's good for you at Beleza. But exotic drinks are the big draw. And the lounge scene goes late with cocktails made with top-shelf liquors, fresh tropical juices and agave nectar. The crowd-pleaser is the Acerola mojito with a mix of Cruzan rum, muddled limes and mint, agave nectar and acerola pulp. Other fun sips: Jungle Juice, with organic vodka and a blend of juices, and Tequila Blossom, with grapefruit juice and orange blossom water.

> 905 Juniper St. N.E., 678-904-4582, www.sottosottorestaurant.com

MIDTOWN

The Globe

Located in the Technology Square development in Midtown, urban and urbane are the vibe at The Globe, where the hip, happening lounge area dominates the scene. The bar serves up everything from housemade sangria to culinary cocktails. Try the house-muddled Pimm's Cup, a citrusy, spiced classic made with Pimm's No. 1 gin-based liquor from England. The courtyard patio, nestled between buildings, makes a great place to sip and hang. And on Mondays, the three M's —- martinis, margaritas and mojitos —- are $5.

> 75 Fifth St. N.W., 404-541-1487, www.globeatlanta.com

VIRGINIA HIGHLAND

Taco Mac

Warm weather is the perfect time for the tangy, fruity taste of a German, Belgian or American-style wheat beer. And with a list that features some 24 beers on draft and another 170 in the bottle, there are plenty to choose from at the original Virginia Highland Taco Mac. Other refreshing selections include Dogfish Head Festina Peche, Victory Prima Pils or Reissdorf Kolsch. Of course, all are best enjoyed out on the funky, old patio, with a pile of hot wings or nachos and a Braves game on the television.

The wine bar and sidewalk cafe at this European-Mediterranean fine dining restaurant is arguably the most sophisticated place in town to get a taste of the good juice. And now is the time to try out some fun summer sippers, especially sparkling wines such as cava and prosecco, or rose. And there are plenty of refreshing whites, ranging from rare and elegant Old World offerings to fun finds from California and New Zealand. Every Wednesday, there's a seasonal wine tasting with complimentary tapas.

On Decatur Square: Shawn Vinson has a blueprint for success to survive and thrive for another 10 years in the art business.

Running an art gallery is rarely a pretty picture. As many an entrepreneur discovers, art is only one ingredient in the recipe for survival. Just as important are location, timing, business smarts, perseverance —- and luck.

No wonder galleries come and go, and no wonder Shawn Vinson finds his 10th anniversary on Decatur's Courthouse Square a cause for celebration.

To mark the occasion, he has filled the recently renovated gallery with a survey of the artists in his stable. A painting by Ruth Franklin, a British-born artist and his wife, greets the visitor. Not just a gallery mainstay, she is behind the gallery's unique niche in British printmaking.

The roster, which has grown through her connections back home, now ranges from Anne Desmet, internationally known for finely detailed miniature visions of England and Italy, to the punky, primitive work of poet/musician/cult figure Billy Childish.

"Vinson is probably the only gallery in Atlanta that specializes in printmaking," says Stephanie Smith, president of the Atlanta Printmakers Studio.

"The printmakers are of really exceptional quality, both technically and expressively, especially the black and white work, which you don't see that often in Atlanta."

Vinson Gallery was one of the few in Decatur when it opened, and its owner has had a hand in building the scene.

"Shawn works hard to promote the arts here," Cheryl Burnette, executive director of the Decatur Arts Alliance, says of Vinson, who is a member of her board. "He initiated the Decatur ArtWalk and got us involved with the Atlanta Gallery Association's events."

Vinson, 38, is a dyed-in-the wool Decaturite.

"I moved here in 1993 because it was affordable, but now I wouldn't think of leaving," he says.

What with the renovated gallery, a devoted Decatur clientele, the nearby Brick Store —- the pub he calls his satellite office —- and his new partner Dominic Richardson, he is ready to take on the next 10 years.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

School officials in Decatur know him as "David," a tech-savvy, iPhone-wielding educator who is their main contact at Sichuan Normal University Attached Experimental School in Chengdu, China.

But since a May 12 earthquake devastated Sichuan Province and killed tens of thousands of Chinese, David — no one knows his full name — has been a kind of lifeline, full of information, assurance and encouragement.Come June 2, local teachers hope to return the favor as part of a trip to the Chinese city. It is the first time Decatur will send teachers to the school with which it began a new exchange program last year.

Chengdu is Sichuan's provincial capital. Much of the city, home to 11 million people, was heavily damaged but David's school did not suffer the brunt of the quake. The 3,000 students from the elite school escaped injury and are back in class.

That the trip comes at a time of national tragedy for the Sichuan region has only heightened its importance for those planning it.

"We are going to [plan] a big welcome party for them," the Chengdu school's headmistress, Xie Xiangqiong, said in an e-mail Sunday.

The program got started last summer and was made possible through contacts at Georgia State University, which sponsors an existing program that has sent GSU students to the Chengdu school.

Six Decatur educators are set to make the trip.

Once there, they will shower their hosts with dozens of handwritten letters and pictures from Decatur students offering their peers support and well-wishes. They will be guests in the homes of the Chinese school's teachers and observe classes as well as teach one of their own.

The trip had been planned for nearly a year, but the earthquake "makes it real and even more relevant," said Decatur teacher Karen Newton, who is making her first trip out of the country and will bear a special message from a local student who has relatives in Sichuan Province. "It's all about finding that common thread."

The airport in Chengdu is open. David has repeatedly assured Decatur officials that, despite a number of aftershocks in the province, the city itself is safe and that officials there want them to come. The city also is not threatened by potential flooding that over the last several days has prompted additional evacuations.David's school serves students from kindergarten through ninth grade. When the quake hit, they evacuated their building in five minutes.

"Oh man, it was horrible!," David said in an e-mail to Decatur on May 12 — the day of the quake — responding to queries about his safety. "I had lessons just now at 2:15...but the land was dancing at the moment! Chengdu is not the center of earthquake; we are about 91 kilometers from the center. We are safe here. We were evacuated to the playground 'till 8:40. We are OK but tired!"

Ninety-one kilometers is equivalent to about 57 miles — the distance from downtown Atlanta to the outskirts of Lagrange, Ga.

Decatur officials plan to keep monitoring the news; a major setback in the region would likely preempt the trip. Chengdu officials have offered September or October as back-up dates should the trip be postponed.

Last August, the exchange brought several teachers from the Chengdu school to Decatur. Kira Wilsterman, a second grade teacher at Decatur's Oakhurst Elementary, remembers them as gracious and wonderful and full of questions.

She only hopes to be the same kind of guest. Given the circumstances, perhaps she can be more, too, she said.

"When I heard the earthquake happened, my heart just sank," Wilsterman said. "It was such a weird feeling for me, because there's a personal connection. Even though I don't know the people yet, they're going to be my friends."

June 27, 2008 marks 11 years since The Brick Store opened it's doors to Decatur, I can't belive it's been that long. They know how to keep a place going strong.and now with the rumors from indecatur & decatur-metro of them taking over the lease from the antique store Rue de Leon which is closing their store in June is good news for Decatur... Will it be just another pub, don't count on that, whatever it turns out to be I know it will be good, the corner location and the fact it use to be a filling station, both good signs.Maybe they could name it The Filling Station Pub. yea, that sounds good. What ever the name I know it will be good place to be.

Below is a article from the AJC on the 10th Anniversary.it tells how they got started.----------------------------

AJCBy BOB TOWNSEND

If you wandered into the Brick Store Pub on the night it opened — June 27, 1997 — you might have heard something like "One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces" by Ben Folds Five playing. And you might have bellied up to the horseshoe-shaped bar, surveyed the newly exposed brick walls, and been coaxed into ordering a Dogwood or Blind Man pale ale on draft. Then you might have puzzled over the absence of television sets, neon signs and mega domestic lagers, such as Bud, Coors or Miller Lite.

The Brick Store celebrates its 10th anniversary this month. There still aren't any televisions, neon signs or megabeers. But there have been plenty of other changes, both subtle and dramatic.Starting with very little money and lots of sweat equity and enthusiasm, partners Dave Blanchard, Tom Moore and Mike Gallagher first made an old beauty parlor on Decatur Square into a convivial neighborhood pub. Later, they transformed it into what is widely considered to be one of the best beer bars in the country, if not the world.

As ranked on the two biggest online beer-geek sites, the Brick Store is currently No. 9 (in the world) at ratebeer.com and No. 15 (in the United States) at beeradvocate.com.

Somehow, though, as Blanchard, Moore and Gallagher sit at an upstairs table surveying their domain and reflecting on a decade of serving up beer (along with wine, cocktails and pub grub), the former University of Georgia buddies sound more like true believers than savvy entrepreneurs.

"The first night," remembers Gallagher, "we thought we were rich. All three of us were bartending, and people were throwing money at us because they knew how hard we'd been working to get the place open. We ended up making about $500 in tips. At that point we'd been eating turkey sandwiches for about three months, so we thought it was the greatest night of our lives."

That sort of passion mixed with humility has continued to be a trademark of the Brick Store experience — even as the crowds have swelled, the partners sometimes shake their heads, regretting no longer being able to recognize every person who comes in, and having had to institute a waiting list on weekends.We're big on karma," says Moore without a trace of irony.

But success is also clearly exciting for the trio, who describe getting "pumped" for their daily work routines — which still often revolve around Moore working in the kitchen and Blanchard and Gallagher tending bar and waiting on customers. And success is certainly what's allowed the Brick to expand and grow, spurring and reflecting the increasingly sophisticated tastes of its customers.

In 1997, the best-selling beer was Warsteiner, a light German lager. In 2007, it's St. Bernardus Abt 12, a strong Belgian ale. Leading up to the 10th anniversary, there's a different exotic or rare beer offering every night.

"Craft breweries and importers want to send us completely random, weird stuff now," Blanchard says. "And that makes us just that much more of a presence in the beer community and really gets people talking more about what we do."

The watershed moment for the Brick Store (and every other serious beer bar in the state) was the 2004 state law that made higher-alcohol beers legal in Georgia. In response, Blanchard, Moore and Gallagher went to work again and built what became known as "the Belgian bar."

The expansion — "upstairs and to the left" is the way a Brick Store T-shirt describes its location — features eight draft taps and more than 120 bottles of Belgian and Belgian-style beers. Downstairs, where there once were 13 draft lines and a handful of imported, local and regional specialty beers, there now are 17 draft and more than 65 bottled beers in rotation. Adding to the mix more recently have been the popular monthly beer and cheese tastings and periodic beer dinners, with selected breweries bringing in special treats.he next really big act for Blanchard, Moore and Gallagher will probably take place sometime early next year. They are renovating a building they bought in Grant Park, where they plan to open another beer bar and restaurant — though it won't be known as the Brick Store, and the food will lean toward more seasonal and organic offerings.

Summing up the move into a second decade in business with Blanchard and Gallagher, Moore laughs and says,"We got married, we bought a house, and we had kids. Now we're going to go buy another house."

-------------Please note: Rue de Leon will still have a web site store, so you can still buy your antiques from them.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

I have been looking for a photo like this that would show both Belk Gallant and The Decatur Theatre.I finally found this photo but it had a big tree in front of Belk-Gallant it covered most of the letters on the building so I put it through photo shop and removed the tree but I had to add new letters back on the building.Original photo from a old Decatur High School year book.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Decatur is Atlanta's Berkeley, home to trendy multicultural boutiques, "War is not the Answer" yard signs — and a three-story-high tribute to "the covenant keeping race" that formed the Confederate States of America.

There is no mention of slavery on the monument, but there also is not much doubt about what "race" Hooper Alexander Sr. had in mind when he wrote the inscription more than 100 years ago. The prominent Decatur lawyer later gave a speech honoring the efforts of the "dominant race" after emancipation and asserting that slavery helped African-Americans.click here to read full story

Friday, May 23, 2008

One West Court Square, a seven-story, glass-paneled office tower in downtown Decatur, might as well be covered in ivy.

The Art Institute of Atlanta recently opened a satellite location in the building. And workers are building out several floors for DeVry University's new DeKalb County campus.It's a sharp turn for the nondescript office building, long filled with traditional tenants such as law firms doing business at the nearby DeKalb County Courthouse. In recent years, it stood mostly empty after two large tenants, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, moved out.

About half of One West Court Square's 158,000 square feet of office space will be taken up by the two schools. The sidewalks around the downtown courthouse square have already filled with students toting backpacks and art supplies.

The tower's transformation from buttoned-down business headquarters to funky student center in many ways mirrors that of surrounding downtown Decatur. Once a dowdy government district, the area has become a bustling, walkable destination dotted with sidewalk cafés, restaurants, boutiques and condos.

The schools, meanwhile, see the hip Decatur address as a big plus as they recruit prospective students. The building is also adjacent to the Decatur MARTA station, providing easy access for students and faculty.

Decatur "lends itself to a different feel than our Sandy Springs campus. It's much more of a community," said Janet Day, president of the Art Institute of Atlanta. "People can walk down the street to go to a restaurant."

DeVry and the Art Institute are both national, for-profit schools that offer career-focused courses. They're opening classroom space in downtown Decatur for different reasons.

DeVry is downsizing. With students able to do more of their course work online, the school no longer needs the amount of space it has at its sprawling, 22-acre campus north of Decatur, school officials say. DeVry has made similar moves in cities including Chicago and San Diego.

DeVry, which has six other campuses in metro Atlanta, plans to sell the north Decatur campus.

The Art Institute, meanwhile, is expanding to reach students in eastern metro Atlanta who don't want to fight traffic to get to the Sandy Springs campus. It's the school's first satellite location.

The Decatur campus opened in January and now has an enrollment of 85, with more than 200 anticipated by October, school officials said.

Freshman Sherrard Lawson, a graphic design major who lives in Lithonia with his parents, said he loves the school's setting.

"It's the perfect area," said Lawson, 19. "You can walk to places. You don't have to drive to get anything. It's real relaxed."

The Decatur campus is offering programs in areas including advertising, Web design, interior design and media arts and animation. Some programs, such as culinary arts, are offered only at the Sandy Springs location.

Downtown Decatur shops hope the influx of students and faculty members will send cash registers ringing.

While college students may not have much disposable income, city business leaders say they'll probably eat at local restaurants and frequent the fashion-forward boutiques that have sprouted along Ponce de Leon Avenue.

"It's great seeing more young, vibrant people downtown," said Neil Dobbs, president of the Decatur Business Association. "It makes it a great place to be, and we like it."

The building is owned by Quarter Circle Capital, which paid $16.7 million for it about a year ago, according to Databank. At the time, less than a quarter of the office space was leased. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's DeKalb County news bureau is in the building.

The Decatur office market is a bit unusual for metro Atlanta in that it's not located along a major freeway. As a result, the handful of large office buildings are filled mostly by small and medium-size businesses.

Decatur, of course, has long been a college town. It is home to Agnes Scott College and is just a few miles from Emory University.

But the new schools are smack dab in the heart of the city's downtown district. Lyn Menne, an assistant city manager for Decatur, said the art school could transform the area, much like the Savannah College of Art and Design has in downtown Savannah.

"It brings a new energy, and they support the little boutiques and the stores and the restaurants," she said. "And it's not just the students, it's the faculty and staff."

The 20th annual Decatur Arts Festival kicks off today with an art walk around the city.

The walk, which runs from 5 to 10 p.m., showcases exhibitions at 30 spots throughout Decatur. The festival continues throughout the weekend, with a film festival, dance performances, literary forums, an artist market and a separate festival for children. All of the events, sponsored by the Decatur Arts Alliance, take place on and around Decatur Square.

Time capsules always interest me.I know of one time capsule which was buried at Winnona Park School back in the late 1950's or early 60's, not sure when they were to dig it up but I remember it being in the front lawn to the right if you are facing the front door.I wonder how many others are in Decatur ?Maybe some of you might know of more.Photo here is a time capsule at the site of the 1964 World's Fair in Queens, NY.from Flickr member Dio*click here for his site.

Experts List the Most-Wanted Time Capsules

Time capsules usually are lost due to thievery, secrecy or poor planning. Finding them will enrich posterity by assuring that independent voices are heard in the future. The International Time Capsule Society, which has formed with the mission to record the burial of all time capsules, is still in search of nine time capsules of which little is known.

Selections were made by ITCS members: Knute "Skip" Berger, executive director of the State of Washington Centennial Time Capsule project; Dr. Brian Durrans, an anthropologist with the British Museum who has cataloged more than 200 capsules; William Jarvis, a Washington State University librarian and author of a scholarly publication about time capsules; and Paul Hudson, historian and author of "The Oglethorpe Atlanta Crypt of Civilization Time Capsule."

They request that information concerning the whereabouts of any of the lost capsules be reported to ITCS The society was formed in 1990 at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, where a world record time capsule is located. Its purpose is to maintain a registry of time capsules, study them and provide information on the subject. Paul Hudson is the contact person.

In 1991, a list of the "10 Most Wanted Time Capsules" was released. To date, only one, the Kingsley Dam Time Capsule, has been found. The remaining are:

1. Bicentennial Wagon Train Time Capsule This capsule was supposed to hold the signatures of 22 million Americans. But on July 4, 1976, when President Gerald Ford arrived for the sealing ceremony in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, someone stole the capsule from an unattended van in the bicentennial wagon train. The capsule's maker, the Reynolds Company, had broken the mold. The thief’s identity and the whereabouts of the capsule are unsolved mysteries.

2. MIT Cyclotron Time Capsule In 1939 a group of MIT engineers placed a brass capsule beneath an 18-ton -magnet used in a brand new, state-of-the-art cyclotron. The capsule was to be opened in 50 years but was not. No one remembered the time capsule was there (the cyclotron had long since been deactivated). But when reminded of its existence, MIT was faced with another problem: how do you get a time capsule out from under a 36,000-pound lid?

3. Corona, California, Time Capsules The City of Corona seems to have misplaced a series of 17 time capsules dating back to the 1930s. Efforts to recover the capsules in 1986 were in vain. "We just tore up a lot of concrete around the civic center, "said the chairman of the town's centennial committee. A Los Angeles Times reporter has called Corona "the individual record holder in the fumbled time capsule category."

4. The M*A*S*H Time Capsule Buried by cast members of the hit TV show in a secret ceremony, the capsule contained props and costumes of the show. It was buried in January 1983 -- somewhere, no one will say -- in the 20th Century Fox parking lot in Hollywood. The lot has shrunk in size, so the time capsule may be under a Marriott Hotel now. Update: According to CNN, Alan Alda recounts in his book, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, that the M*A*S*H time capsule was found by a construction worker shortly after the show ended. When the worker tried to return the capsule to Alda and the rest of the M*A*S*H cast, Alda told him to keep it.

5. George Washington's Cornerstone Today's custom of burying time capsules is in part an outgrowth of Masonic cornerstone-laying ceremonies. Through the centuries, Masons have officiated at rituals which often include placing memorabilia inside building cornerstones for later recovery. In 1793, George Washington, a Mason, performed the Masonic ritual upon the laying of the original cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol. Over the years, the Capitol has undergone extensive expansion, remodeling and reconstruction, but the original George Washington cornerstone has never been found. It is unknown whether there is anything inside of it.

6. The Gramophone Company Time Capsule In 1907, Hayes, Middlesex, England, sound recordings on disc were deposited behind the foundation stone of the new Gramophone Company factory (later HMV, later EMI) by the opera singer (later Dame) Nellie Melba. During reconstruction work in the 1960s, the container was officially removed, but before it could be reburied, someone ran off with it. The whereabouts of these priceless master-pressings of Melba and other stars remains a mystery.

7. Washington Territorial Centennial Time Capsule In 1953 Washington state celebrated its territorial centennial by burying a two-ton time capsule on the state capitol campus in Olympia. The legislature failed to approve funds to mark the site, and the capsule was lost until 1959. However, records indicate that a supplementary time capsule was prepared in 1953 for burial alongside the main capsule. The location and contents of the second capsule are unknown. The capsule may have been interred as planned; its reported location was a closet at the capitol. Update: it appears that this capsule was found in 2002.

8. Blackpool Tower In Blackpool, Lancashire, England, a foundation deposit was interred in the late 19th century with the customary ceremony. When a search was organized recently in preparation for new building work, not even remote sensing equipment or a clairvoyant could locate the time capsule.

9. The Lyndon, Vermont, Time Capsule First mentioned in an 1891 Vermont newspaper, the capsule is an iron box containing proceedings of the town's centennial celebration. It was scheduled to be opened on July 4, 1991. Citizens have looked in the town vault, the bank and the library but have not found the box. The time capsule may not have been buried at all, since some ceremonies were canceled due to rain. Lyndon residents have vowed not to lose their new time capsule which is set to be sealed July 4.

Decatur City commissioners unanimously agreed on Monday, May 19 to a trial project allowing vending carts on the MARTA plaza near the city’s downtown square. Decatur Economic Development Director Lyn Menne told city commissioners that she has been approached on numerous occasions from residents who wanted to set up vending carts on the MARTA plaza.”

Residents have said they wanted to sell hotdogs and pre-packaged ice cream, Menne said. “We want to try for six months and see it how it goes.”

Menne said details on the price to rent space and times of operation still have to be worked out.

Commissioner Jim Baskett predicted a backlash from restaurants near the square.

“I am real skeptical of this,” he said. “But I’m willing to see how this works out.”

“They can’t sell anything that restaurants operating within the square sell,” Menne explained. “We hold the right to restrict time and dates of operation.”

Monday, May 19, 2008

Squash Blossom opened in 1999 by mother and daughter Ettie Wurtzel & Talia Wurtzel Blanchard. We wanted to open a shop with personalized service, affordable prices and most importantly, really great clothes. We were tired of the same old stuff, so we ventured to discover something different.

Now that we've doubled our space, we've added some lines to our collection. Just a few are listed here:

The fourth Indiana Jones movie features lots of the familiar — the brown hat, the whip and having to make one’s way with a lighted torch through creepy tunnels full of cobwebs and muck. But it’s also full of things even Indy’s never seen before. Like an exploding atomic bomb.

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” among this summer’s most anticipated movies, debuted Sunday at the Cannes Film Festival and was also screened for the media in Atlanta and other U.S. cities. It opens in theaters on Thursday.

Rated PG-13, the film is full of bugs and fist fights, totes a little blood and delivers at least one well-placed, nighttime boo scare. Parents can expect the same level of violence, intensity and frights found in the first three Indy movies.

A stalwart Harrison Ford, packing his trademark smirk, returns in the title role in a story set in 1957, some 20 years after the third film. He fights plenty of Russians and the occasional South American native while hunting for a crystal skull that could open the door to otherworldly answers to mystic questions.

The action scenes are plentiful and involve multiple truck wars (remember “Raiders of the Lost Ark”?), a big-city motorcycle chase and a good, old-school fist fight.

Here’s what fans will likely be talking about after “Skull” opens on Thursday:

CATE BLANCHETT: Sounding a little like a female Boris Badenov, the multiple scene stealer dons a pageboy haircut and swaggers her way through the movie as Irina Spalko, the evil Russian psychic/scientist and Indy’s main nemesis. She spouts Communism and mind-control ideals as though she’s a pod-person in one of the “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” movies.

THE SUPPORTING CAST: Karen Allen returns from the first film as Indy’s love interest, Marion. Shia LaBeouf enters all cocky and full of himself as though he’s Marlon Brando in “The Wild One.” Later on in the film, he softens his character.

THE WEAPONS: More than one rapier, poison darts, machine guns, bolos, a switchblade and a tree limb.

THE PESTS: Scorpions, a long, long rat snake and what looks like hundreds of thousands of army ants.

THE HOMAGES: There are tips of the hat to Sean Connery (Indy’s dad in “The Last Crusade”) and the late Denholm Elliott (he played Dr. Marcus Brody in the first and third films). Those who keep their eyes glued to the screen will also get a glimpse at a very familiar treasure.

Are you looking forward to seeing the new Indiana Jones movie?

Click YouTube below for a trailer of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

I see more people riding their own bikes in Decatur.When Decatur started the yellow bike program I thought for sure I would have seen those all the time, but I don't.These two I saw riding their own bikes down past the fire department from the square on the side walks.

Decatur has a Bicycle program called Yellow Bikes(click here to see) you can use but I never see them around. For more info on the Decatur Bikes click here.This morning CBS Morning news had a story about bikes to rent in Paris and for that city it worked very well.Maybe Decatur could learn a thing or two from Paris' program.Here is the story of the Paris bikes below.PARIS - To Arnaud Sauret, 37, the city's new bike-for-rent program is the best way to get home after a late night of clubbing, when the subway is closed and taxis are scarce.

They are among 100,000 Parisians who have signed up for a one-year subscription to Velib' – or bike liberty – since its launch. The hugely successful program has already spawned copy-cat plans in other cities and is being studied by New York City transit officials.

Mayor Bloomberg called the program "fascinating" during a weekend stop in Paris, but expressed doubts it could work at home, where roads are rough, designated bike lanes are few, and helmets rare. But to transit advocates, exporting Velib' to New York makes sense.

"It's a perfect idea for New York," said Noah Budnick, deputy director of Transportation Alternatives, who said that research shows New Yorkers would use bikes for quick cross-town trips if they didn't have to worry about parking them.

Velib' solves that problem by placing docking stations – 1,450 by years' end – citywide. If one station is full, riders need not go far, sometimes only a few hundred feet, to find another one.

You can always find a place to park, there's so many places everywhere," said Stephane Brangier, 36, who often leaves his own bike at home and pays a small fee to use Velib'.

The man behind Velib', Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe, has won kudos from environmentalists for making life tough for motorists, who have lost 6,000 parking spaces in recent years as Delanoe has transformed streets into pedestrian-only zones, widening sidewalks and installing trees and benches. Velib' was his latest move to urge Parisians to leave their cars behind on cross-town trips.

Plus, the city stands to rake in an estimated $28 million this year alone in fees paid by the bike users – a one-day pass costs $1.40 with the first 30 minutes free. After that, users pay an increasing scale of fees. An annual subscription costs $41 with the same hourly fees. The idea is to take short trips.

And, best of all for fiscal hawks, the program costs the city nothing. JC Decaux, an international outdoor ad company, put up $88 million to launch the program and maintains the bikes in exchange for use of 1,600 city billboards.

So far, 300 bikes have been stolen, all of them improperly docked by users (who pay a $210 security deposit) and another 320 damaged, said Albert Asseras, JCDecaux's director general in charge of the program.

And critics complain that novice Velibers, who share bus-taxi lanes, are a road hazard. There is even a Facebook group railing against the riders called "I ran over a Velib.'"

So far, there have been 29 minor crashes involving the rented bikes, a surprisingly small number considering there are some 10,600 bikes cruising the streets each day, with 10,000 more planned over the next few months.

"It's too dangerous, the cabs would kill us," said Deborah Epstein, a New Yorker who rented bikes yesterday in Paris with her husband, David, and was dubious the program could work in New York. "Because of the bikes lanes [in Paris] it makes it easy. Without it, it would be difficult."

But a fix may be in the works for that drawback. The city's first protected bike lane in Chelsea is set to open by Thanksgiving. The seven-block stretch will run curbside with plastic posts called bollards separating bikes and cars, a Department of Transportation spokesman said.

And helmets? Although it's not considered practical to rent them along with the bikes, according to Budnick, they're not as important to rider safety as building protected lanes, something City Hall seems committed to doing.

So could Velib' work in New York? Budnick says yes.

Having a bike as key mode of transport "says a lot about the kind of city it is and the quality of life" he said. "You don't have to be someone wearing spandex to ride a bike. It's just something people do."

Gue Pardue Hudson, Agnes Scott College's dean of students, is retiring next month after 34 years with the Decatur school.

The timing gave Hudson, who has been dean since 1984, one last graduation to "hood" students, or to drape the ornamental cloth over them in recognition of their earning undergraduate degrees.

The college's 2008 commencement was Saturday, and like the 33 graduations before, Hudson's task was to "hood" students with a hug and personal message.

"I am one of the first people to welcome them during orientation and one of the last to see them go off," Hudson said. "I really get to see the remarkable transformation that takes place at Agnes Scott College."

Hudson will step down June 30, just weeks after her 62nd birthday on June 14. But it will not be a quiet retirement.

The college has presented Hudson and her husband, Bill, with two kayaks and a mountain bike for their outdoor adventures. The pair also have trips scheduled later this year to France, Italy and Turkey.

Hudson then plans to become an advocate for children and adults with special needs, to encourage more state funding for various programs. The youngest of her three sons, John, is legally blind, mildly mentally challenged and a kidney-transplant recipient.

Retiring when she is able to take on new challenges is important to her, Hudson said.

"I think it's a good thing to leave when you're doing a good job," she said. "It's a bit of professional pride."

Hudson graduated from Agnes Scott in 1968 and earned a master's degree from Emory University in 1971.

She taught high school math before becoming the assistant dean of the college in 1974. In 1988, she took on the duties and full title as dean of students as well as vice president for student life and community relations.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

JAVAMONKEY is an independently run coffeehouse/wine-and-beer bar in Decatur, GA that also happens to host some damn fine music on its patio stage. While not a professional music venue per se, the MONKEY has had some of the best musical talent in the world perform at it's venue. Mike West (Truckstop Honeymoon), Matthew Kahler, Blake Guthrie, Edie Carey, The Brilliant Inventions and Joe Gransden to name just a few.

If one word could describe the musical happenings at JAVAMONKEY it would be eclectic... and diverse. Okay, that's two words. You get the picture.

ColorWheel believes in the value and power of the arts to kindle a child's imagination, to encourage creative thinking, and to develop high self-esteem.

Every day, our young artists are engaged in a full range of educational and cultural arts experience. They are introduced to painting, drawing, sculpture, poetry, music, dance, and drama within a supportive environment that excites children - to Learn, to Discover, to Create.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Eddie's Attic is a popular live music venue for aspiring and accomplished performing songwriters. Located in Decatur Georgia a small, artist-friendly town within the metro Atlanta area - a cultural blend of Berkeley and Mayberry. A "listening room" with a superior sound system/acoustics, where customers are asked to silence cell phones and actually listen to the songs, has made the Attic's music room a hit with music enthusiasts. Eddie's Attic draws both fans and artists from all over the world, and continues to be one of the premier music venues in the South. On any given night, music lovers can hear talented performing songwriters and bands playing original music in an intimate setting. The Attic welcomes all varieties of original, live music and embraces the diversity that allows independent music to thrive.

The Attic's covered rooftop grill, which is a separate physical space from the music room, has been the center of the community for over 16 years and remains the friendliest spot in Decatur. Both spaces offer consistently outstanding food and drink.

Eddie's Attic is a true community center for Decatur as a city, and for performing songwriters throughout metro Atlanta. The management and staff are very appreciative of the customers and artists who have supported Eddies Attic over the years. Whether it's for the amazing original live music in music room, or for the friendliest patio space in Decatur, you should expect outstanding food, drink, and service you should expect to have the time of your life. Come see us soon, and see why Live Music Matters.

Message from Istanbul Cafe:Please come and be our guest. Enjoy our Turkish hospitality. As you walk in, exotic spices, rich decor and music will fill your senses. The food is fresh, genuine, affordable and generous. We have been voted "Atlanta's Best Mediterranean Cuisine" 5 years in a row. Our staff is friendly and attentive. They can seat you on soft pillows in the Hookah Lounge. You will experience authentic Turkish cuisine while being entertained by beautiful belly dancers. Belly dancers perform Wednesdays and Weekends. Be sure to save room for baklava and Turkish coffee. You may also want to order a hookah for your table and make a night of it. We are open for Lunch and Dinner. We welcome families, so gather your friends and family and come see us.

DECATUR,GA. May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Noting the similarities between 1968, the year Shirley Franklin graduated from college and today, Atlanta's first woman mayor called on Agnes Scott College graduates to get involved in the political process to effect social change.

Franklin earned her degree in sociology from Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1968. In that year and now, wars raged in distant places, presidential candidates of markedly different political and demographic stripes were vying for nomination, and young people seemed key to the nation's political and social future, she said.

The mayor quoted anthropologist Margaret Mead to sharpen the focus of her message to the graduating class of this liberal arts college for women observing its 119th commencement: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

"If there was ever a time in American history that epitomizes young people leading our nation it was the 1960s," Franklin said. "History confirms that students, young people, men and women, stood up and spoke up for women, for African-Americans, for peace for freedom of speech."

She noted that this year a similar phenomenon is occurring. "More than 5.7 million voters younger than 30 have participated in the political primary so far this season -- a 109 percent increase from the 2004 presidential campaign," Franklin said.

Franklin was one of two women recognized by Agnes Scott today for their public service and activism. Agnes Scott College President Elizabeth Kiss awarded honorary doctorate of law degrees to Franklin, and to Elizabeth Wilson, who 25 years ago became the first African-American elected to the Decatur, Ga. city commission. And 10 years later she became the city's first African American mayor.

By simply walking into the Decatur branch of the DeKalb County Public Library in 1960s and asking for a public library card, Wilson initiated the movement that would ultimately desegregate most public institutions in that county. As the first woman mayor of Atlanta, Franklin has built a record of achievement in her two terms unrivaled by the men who preceded her, Kiss said.

"Mayor Franklin talked about how every generation faces the challenge of leadership. Each of these women, both representing two different generations of leadership, stood up for the challenge," Kiss said.

DECATUR, Ga. -- As one of the breakout country bands of the last few years, Sugarland can easily draw thousands of people to their high-energy concerts. But back in the day, Jennifer Nettles would finesse her singer-songwriter skills at a very laidback bar in Decatur, Ga., called Eddie's Attic.

"I love it. I started out there," she says. "I started doing open mikes. They have an open mike competition, and anybody can come and be a part of that. I started out doing that, and got a gig there and started developing a fan base between there and Athens, Ga. I definitely credit it with much of how I became the performer and musician that I am."

Chasing a dream that would later surface in the band's debut single, "Baby Girl," Nettles slowly moved up in the local music world, fronting Soul Miner's Daughter and the Jennifer Nettles Band. But after eight years, her band was drawing to a close. One night, she was sipping martinis and swapping stories with fellow Atlanta singer-songwriter Kristen Hall. They decided to meet at Starbucks with another local musician, Kristian Bush, to talk about starting a country band. That next morning, Sugarland was born. After writing some songs together, they booked a few gigs at Eddie's Attic.

"Eddie's Attic is a wonderful venue," Nettles says. "It's a listening room, and it has always been a listening room. You can go and hear the artist. The singer-songwriter is the important element in it. It's not necessarily that you're there to pick up a date or whatever you might do in another sort of bar or music venue. It's definitely about the music there."

When you come into the club, posters are tacked along the walls of a long staircase. At the top, you have two options -- check out the show in the listening room or hang out on the deck and watch on a closed-circuit TV. Even a small club like Eddie's Attic can get rowdy people sometimes. However, the club tends to draw the fans of a specific artist, rather than just somebody in town who's craving some live music.

There is no green room in Eddie's Attic, so if you want to meet the artist, you just walk right up. Pop star John Mayer, who paid his dues building his audience at the club, occasionally comes back for a small show. Songwriters like Will Hoge, Josh Joplin and Lori McKenna also draw substantial crowds, but in the words of Sugarland, "There's gotta be somethin' more."

"It's really fundamentally hard with a 200-seat club to make your financial nut anymore," says owner Bob Ephlin. "Rent, utilities, insurance, it's just stupid. I'd love to tell you we are financially successful. I'd be lying, but we're better and better at it every month. And we will get there, and I hope I'm standing when we do."

Ephlin, who bought the club from Nettles and her then-husband in 2005, is striving to rebuild its reputation as a listening room, rather than just a drinking spot with high-quality music, whether it's Celtic, bluegrass, blues, rock or country. He's partnered with local art galleries to freshen up the walls, and he's completely renovated the kitchen and refinished all the wood floors. The sound system is topnotch, too. He's also brought back Eddie Owen, whose name adorns the place, to book the talent.

Surprisingly, Ephlin doesn't ask for a cut of the artists' merchandise, understanding that they need that money to get to the next tour date. Plus, he says, the club takes only "a very small percentage" from the ticket receipts at the door. Most of the revenue comes from food and beverage sales from the renovated kitchen and bar. He says the menu is good enough that he eats there almost every night, and as a courtesy, he feeds the performers, too.

"Even if they are amazingly talented, you know these guys aren't really wealthy if they're playing a 200-seat club," he says. "We give them a free meal, [along with] everyone in their band when they come here. We give them a couple of drinks. We know most clubs aren't doing that anymore, but this may be their only chance to have a good meal that day, and so that feels like the right thing to do."

In addition to the running the club, Ephlin and his team are shopping a TV pilot, launching a statewide radio program and figuring out how to post their extensive archives on their Web site -- without screwing over the artists, of course. He started a writing space with Bush for area musicians to help develop their career. He's also been visiting similar clubs across the country to pick up tips on how to run Eddie's Attic efficiently.

"I suppose we could be better businessmen," he says. "I'm sure my accountant and banker would agree, but there's gotta be a way to do this and be respectable to the artist."

Singer-songwriter Shawn Mullins, who lives in Decatur, says, "The main thing that makes Eddie's Attic stand out above other venues is its intimate setting and the fact that people come there to listen and not chat. So many listening rooms around the country model themselves after what Eddie Owen has built for the performer and the fan."

With his breakout success of "Lullaby" in 1998, Mullins acquired a large, loyal fan base across the nation and spends nearly the whole year on the road. Thanks to that loyalty, he scored a big hit at adult alternative radio in 2006 with "Beautiful Wreck." For his new album, Honeydew, he chose Eddie's Attic to host his record release party.

"Imagine a friendly neighborhood pub with excellent food and service that caters to the music fan and the performing songwriter," says Mullins. "People come to Eddie's to listen to great music, and that environment is the reason that songwriters make Eddie's a stop on the tour. It's the best venue in the South for the performing songwriter."

While DeKalb County school officials consider possibly laying off staff, Decatur city school officials next year may actually add positions — but they also want to raise residents' taxes.

A proposed $37 million general fund budget will go next week before city school board members for preliminary approval, and includes a 1 mill increase in owners' property millage rates.The increase equates to about $100 more in property taxes on a home valued at $200,000. This is the first city school millage increase after four years of rate reductions. The new rate clocks in at 19.90 mills. By comparison, the rate in 2004 was 20.24, but had declined to 18.90 as of this year.

The proposal comes as the system, now with 2,500 students, grew by about 100 children. It adds three new fourth-grade teachers, two new kindergarten teachers and new middle-school Spanish and choir instructors. For existing staff, it also includes a 2.5 percent pay raise in addition to a 3 percent "step" increase.

Step increases are a salary supplement based on years of experience. DeKalb officials originally proposed not giving county staff step increases, but school board members have suggested cutting some positions in order to restore them.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The city of Decatur should get 5 STAR award for this.This is the best decision they could have made, McKOY Park needed a new pool.I spent my summer days at that pool, and it was a nice pool in the 1960's.I am glad to see they have incorporated grass back inside the fence.

McKoy Park Pool Scheduled to Open Memorial Day 2008

Decatur staff began meeting with interested citizens two years ago to talk about options for reopening McKoy Pool. The existing pool( click here to see old pool) developed a major water leak that could not be patched and was closed approximately five years ago. During several public input sessions a variety of options were considered and three major areas of interest were identified: 1. the need for a pool that was easily accessible by handicapped swimmers and the elderly; 2. a pool that provided amenities for small children; and 3. opportunity for dedicated lap swim areas. Originally we looked at ways to repair the existing pool. However, with the approval of the Capital Bond Project Referendum, the City Commission allocated additional money to the project and the DeKalb County Community Development Department awarded the City a $250,000 Community Development Block Grant. The South Decatur Community Development Corporation donated $25,000 to help fund improvements to the bathhouse.

As a result, the City of Decatur was able to fund a new pool and bathhouse at McKoy Pool. During the design phase, we considered all of three components requested by area residents. The City of Decatur has two other city-owned pools located within its four square mile so it seemed appropriate to incorporate these design features and provide a slightly different swim experience in order to give city residents three different swim options within the City. Specifically, Ebster Pool meets swim team requirements and serves that community need. Glenlake provides a more traditional multi-purpose swimming experience with a deep water option. McKoy Pool incorporates a zero entry (beach entry) access pool making it easier for elderly and handicapped residents to use, bubbler features to entertain younger swimmers and dedicated lap lanes that can be scheduled for adult-only lap swimming in the mornings and afternoons and provide general swimming for summer campers and older children during the busy hours. The project includes a completely rebuilt bathhouse that will be accessible as well as both hard surface decking and grassed lounging areas.

The City awarded the bid for construction in September and construction began on November 19, 2007. Construction is projected to take six months. We look forward to celebrating the grand opening of this new swimming facility on Memorial Day Weekend 2008.

Welcome toNext Stop... DecaturHere you will find all kinds of photos, some new and some vintage, and sometimes even Decatur/Atlanta/World news. Also showbiz news, so sit back and have some fun.....Look out, sign-post up ahead.....NEXTSTOP...DECATUR, GA.

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Located at 308 Clairemont Ave, Decatur, GA

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Remembering the Past will Help build the Future

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Wanted:Pictures of The Decatur Theatre, Scott Drive-InTheatre , The Suburban Plaza Theatre and The Dekalb Theatre,North Dekalb Theatre,Toco Hill Theatre, The Emory, and /or any old photos of Downtown Decatur,GA.Please contact me if you have any photos that you think might be of interest. I would love to have a Decatur Theatre ticket stub.ThanksPlease visit myDecatur Theatresite.Also visit my Scott Drive-In site.Also visit my North 85 Twin Drive-Insite.

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The Court House looks so much better without that bandstand built in the middle of the front steps. Why would they block the front view. Why don't they move it to the left about 100 feet over in the grass area.

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Comment:Will be visiting Decatur from Philadelphia for Christmas...and I am counting down the hours. My wife, daughter and I are making it an 800-mile holiday road trip to Atlanta...love it! Many thanks for your site...it keeps me close to beautiful Decatur all year round.- Carlos from Phoenixville, PA

Hey Decatur, GA! visting from Downey, CA to run the marathon- thanks for the course support- loved the signs and spirit and hope to visit ur town during this stay or the next. Thanks again guys&gals- u were awesome! : Marina from Downey, Calif.